It Wasn't Meant To Last
by O.T.D
Summary: Post BD; The Cullens have been living happily together since the end of the battle with the Volturi. But things are changing fast, and conflicts arise between the packs and the family. Was the peace the Cullens created meant to last? Full summary inside


**A/N: Hey! OTD here. Okay, so this is my first fanfiction, so I'm sorry if it sucks. It takes place Post Breaking Dawn, because I felt like there were a lot of loose ends and I wanted to see if I could tie some of them up. I'm not sure exactly where I'm heading with this story, so if you have any suggestions please let me know! I'm sorry if any of the characters are OOC, but this is the first time I've ever tried to write a story using another person's world/characters. I would appreciate it if you would point it out to me so that I could try to fix it in later chapters. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Also, sorry in advance for any gramatical errors. I tried to proofread (I reread the chapter about 3 times), but I may have missed something, so my apologies again.**

**So, before I start, a quick disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended.**

**Summary:** Post BD; The Cullens have been living happily together since the battle with the Volturi. But now that Renesmee is 7 years old and acting very much like an adult, conflicts arise between the family and the packs, and the Volturi are back for round two. Was the peace that the Cullens found meant to last?

**Chapter 1**

**BellaPOV**

I watched from our bed as Edward slid his white doctor's coat over his shoulders. Since everything had settled down with the Volturi, Edward had decided to put his medical degrees to use. I was worried, at first, when he told me he wanted to work as Carlisle's assistant at the hospital. I wasn't sure if he could handle all the blood, but he had assured me that no blood could compare to the smell of mine; that any other's blood held no temptation for him. I wasn't at all surprised when he proved to be amazing at his work. Edward was good at everything.

After he was done with his coat he turned to smile at me. He opened his arms for me, and I slid gracefully off the bed to meet him. I locked my arms around his neck, and his settled around my waist.

"Miss you already," I said, and stood up on my toes to brush my lips against his. He chuckled.

"I'll be home before you know it," he promised, laying his forehead against mine.

"I know. But time always drags when you're gone."

"I know, love. I think of you every moment I'm gone."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I just stretched up on my toes to kiss him again. He kissed me back softly for a moment, but all too soon he was pulling away. I pouted a little. He let out another soft chuckle.

"If you kiss me now, I'll never get out of the house on time." He was smiling hugely, teasing me. I smiled in return.

"Oh, I think you will," I retorted. "You drive like a maniac. It barely takes five minutes for you to get to the hospital."

"Carlisle is waiting," he said. Excuses, excuses…

"Fine. Let's go," I sighed, taking his hand and marching him through the cottage. He laughed again as I dragged him along. His laugh was absolutely my favorite sound, and since the trouble with the Volturi had ended, I got to hear it more and more often.

We broke into a run when we left the cottage that Esme had so thoughtfully built for us for my 19th birthday. We usually stayed there at night. There wasn't much to do in the main house at night anyway. Usually the others were…otherwise occupied. Night time was really "alone time" for the couples, while the daytime was used for "family bonding." Renesmee usually came with us back to the cottage and slept there, but she also had a room in the main house, so she went back and forth. Since we were (miraculously) still in Forks, Jacob and the pack were always close by, and came to visit often.

How it's possible that we're still in Forks, I have no idea. Carlisle had to work at a different hospital so that people didn't start getting curious about the fact that he didn't seem to be aging. He and Edward had a bit of a drive, but they always managed. They both drive about one hundred miles over the speed limit anyway, so what could have taken an hour or more only took them about fifteen minutes. As for the rest of the family, we stayed in the house accept for the occasional hunting trip. Since the Cullen Mansion was on the outskirts of the town, we didn't get any visitors other than Charlie or the pack, so we managed to stay pretty well hidden.

Edward and I slowed our steps as we reached the house. With my sensitive vampire hearing, I could pretty much tell what was happening inside without even having to enter the house. Alice and Jasper were in his study conversing in low tones. Esme was whispering to Carlisle, telling him to have a good day at work and to come home safe. Emmett was watching a football game while wondering aloud why Edward and I were taking so long. (If vampires could blush, I'd be red as a tomato.) Rose was in the garage and Renesmee was up in her room reading. I smiled to myself. She was so much like me; it surprised me sometimes.

Edward opened the door and, ever the gentleman, stepped aside so that I could enter first. Carlisle, Esme, and Emmet all looked up as the door snapped shut with a click.

"About time," said Emmett, rolling his eyes. "I wondered what was keeping you two lovebirds."

Edward frowned. "We know. We heard you from the cottage."

Emmett shrugged and turned back to the television. I turned my attention to Carlisle and Esme, who were both smiling.

"Ready to go?" asked Carlisle, taking a step forward.

"Wait!" A voice called from upstairs. I heard the rustle of pages and a book slam shut. There was a gentle plopping noise, which was probably the book falling to the bed. I smiled, and noticed that Edward did too. Renesmee may look old enough to be a young adult, but she still acted young sometimes. She never let her father or grandfather leave the house without a hug. She came zipping down the stairs and was instantly Edward's arms.

"Good morning, Nessie," said Edward. There goes that beautiful laugh again.

"Morning, Dad. Have a good day at work."

"Thank you. I will." After a second, Renesmee disengaged herself and moved to hug Carlisle.

"See you later, Grandpa. Have a good day."

"You too, Nessie," said Carlisle with a smile. When Renesmee stepped back, Carlisle turned to Edward. "Shall we?"

"Yes," said Edward. He put his arm around my waist and kissed me quickly before following Carlisle out the door.

"I don't get why they bother," said Renesmee. She was frowning slightly. "It's not like we need the money."

"It's what they love to do, dear," said Esme. "They enjoy knowing that they have helped saved a life. It's a good feeling."

"Yeah, I know. I just…wish they were home more, that's all."

I laughed, putting my arm around Renesmee's shoulders. "You and me both, sweetheart."

"Bella!" Suddenly Alice's pixie-like form was at the foot of the stairs.

"What, Alice?" I asked. I had a feeling I knew what was coming. I wasn't so sure I wanted to hear it, though.

"You promised me a shopping trip today! No excuses!" That's right. She'd wanted to go for ages. I kept putting her off for this and that until she finally made me promise. I was a sucker for the puppy-eyes.

"Come on, Alice," I pleaded. Actually, it sounded more like I was whining. Renesmee laughed, probably at the fact that her mother was the one doing the whining.

"We're going! You promised." Damn those puppy-eyes.

"Do you want to come with us, Nessie?" I asked, silently praying she would say yes, even though I knew she wouldn't. She was far too much like me to enjoy shopping…unless Rose or Jake came along.

"Nope. Sorry, Mom," she said, but she didn't look sorry at all. She shrugged. "Jake said he'd come over today. We're going hunting."

"You are?" I asked. "I don't remember giving my permission. Did you talk to your father?"

"Mom, I'm not a child," Renesmee said. Irritation colored her tone.

"You're seven years old, Nessie," I insisted.

"I don't feel seven." She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the floor. She seemed sad. It broke my heart. I didn't know what to say. I didn't really want her to go out hunting alone with Jake. It's not that I didn't trust her – or Jake for that matter. It was just that, even though she was only seven years old, she acted like a nineteen-year-old, and thought like one too. It was no secret that Jake and Renesme had grown…"feelings" for each other. They were very close, and I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

There was a knock at the door, interrupting my thoughts. I could tell by the mismatched rhythms of heartbeats I heard that Jake was here, and he'd brought friends. I quickly went to open the door.

"Hey, Bells," said Jake. A huge smile lit his face, and it reminded me of the past, when he was my sun. He was my daughter's sun now. I pushed the thought away; it was more than a little awkward.

"Jacob," I said warmly.

"Where's Edward?" asked Seth. He and Edward had become very close over the years. Edward trusted Seth more than any of the other werewolves, or rather shape shifters.

"At work," I told him. "You missed him by about two minutes."

"Damn," he said. "Well, I'll catch him later."

My eyes flicked to the girl on Jacob's left. She didn't look happy, but she didn't look hostile either. I decided to play nice.

"Good morning, Leah."

"Sure, sure."

Well, I tried.

"So, Bells, you gonna invite us in or what?" Jake asked, drawing my attention back to him.

"Oh, of course. Please come in," I said, stepping back. Jake and Seth walked right on in, but Leah hung back. She inched just inside the doorway, and stayed there after I closed the door.

"Jake!" Renesmee nearly threw herself into Jake's arms. He rumbled out a laugh and hugged her back.

"Hey, Nessie. Missed you, too, even though I was just here yesterday."

"Ready to hunt?" asked Seth.

"Umm…about that," I said, feeling like I was intruding, but also wanting to be motherly and responsible. "Are you sure this is a good idea, Jake?"

"Yeah. Why not?" he asked. "We're staying local, it's not like we're running to Canada or something."

"I know," I said, shifting uneasily. "I just…I don't know what Edward would think about this…"

"We'll keep an eye on her, Bella," said Seth. "You don't have to worry. All three of us are going, and we we're gonna meet up with Embry later. There are enough of us to make sure she stays safe." I heard Renesmee huff, and Seth winked at her to calm her down. "I'll even do the honors of talking to Edward about it when he gets home."

"Well…alright," I agreed uneasily.

"Thanks, Mom!"

"But…could you take either Rose or Emmett with you? It would give me some peace of mind."

"Oh, Bells, come on. Really?" asked Jake incredulously.

"Please, Jacob? It would make me more comfortable. They don't have to travel right on top of you, but I would feel better if they were around."

"Fine. We'll meet you outside, Nessie. We're going to phase."

"Okay. I'll be out in a second," she said. Jake smiled at her and showed himself out, with Seth and Leah following behind him. "Well? Will you come, Uncle Emmett?" asked Renesmee, but there was reluctance in her voice. Emmett chuckled at her.

"Sure thing, kiddo." He got up from the couch and gestured that she should lead the way. As the door closed softly behind them, I bit my lip nervously. I didn't have a lot of time to dwell on it, though. Alice was suddenly grinning madly from ear to ear.

"Let's go."

This was going to be a very long day.

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**A/N: Sorry for the many and long a/n's. I just wanted to get an opinion. I was planning on changing points of view in the chapters, so that you can get the full effect of the story from multiple angles (of course, I won't rewrite chapters from a different POV; that would be repetitive and redundant). I'm a little nervous about trying though. I don't know...let me know what you think.**

**Hope you liked the first chapter. It was kinda boring, but it was just to provide some background information. Anyway, let me know =]!**

**~OTD**


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